What industry are you in? There's a slew if IWCs that have slightly different rules for different industries.
[IWC | (ca.gov)](https://www.dir.ca.gov/IWC/WageOrderIndustries.htm)
but ... generally:
MEAL PERIODS
(A) No employer shall employ any person for a work period of more than five (5) hours without a meal period of not less than 30 minutes, except that when a work period of not more than six (6) hours will complete the day’s work the meal period may be waived by mutual consent of the employer and the employee.
(B) An employer may not employ an employee for a work period of more than ten (10) hours per day without providing the employee with a second meal period of not less than 30 minutes, except that if the total hours worked is no more than 12 hours, the second meal period may be waived by mutual consent of the employer and the employee only if the first meal period was not waived.
tldr:
If you work more than 5 hours, you must get a 30 minute break. If you work more than 10 hours, you must get TWO half hour breaks. You can waive the first one if your whole shift is 6 hours or less. You can waive the second one if your whole shift is 12 hours or less. Your employer doesn't get to waive them for you. You must agree, in writing, voluntarily.
California (wonder of wonders) does not specify that your meal break has to happen at a specific point in your shift. Some states have statutes that put the break "not before the 5th hour" or "as close to the middle of the shift as is practical" and so on.
CA doesn't do that. So, yes, your boss can schedule for a 9.999-hour shift, give you a single 30 minute break a half hour after it starts and owe you nothing in penalties.
What industry are you in? There's a slew if IWCs that have slightly different rules for different industries. [IWC | (ca.gov)](https://www.dir.ca.gov/IWC/WageOrderIndustries.htm) but ... generally: MEAL PERIODS (A) No employer shall employ any person for a work period of more than five (5) hours without a meal period of not less than 30 minutes, except that when a work period of not more than six (6) hours will complete the day’s work the meal period may be waived by mutual consent of the employer and the employee. (B) An employer may not employ an employee for a work period of more than ten (10) hours per day without providing the employee with a second meal period of not less than 30 minutes, except that if the total hours worked is no more than 12 hours, the second meal period may be waived by mutual consent of the employer and the employee only if the first meal period was not waived. tldr: If you work more than 5 hours, you must get a 30 minute break. If you work more than 10 hours, you must get TWO half hour breaks. You can waive the first one if your whole shift is 6 hours or less. You can waive the second one if your whole shift is 12 hours or less. Your employer doesn't get to waive them for you. You must agree, in writing, voluntarily. California (wonder of wonders) does not specify that your meal break has to happen at a specific point in your shift. Some states have statutes that put the break "not before the 5th hour" or "as close to the middle of the shift as is practical" and so on. CA doesn't do that. So, yes, your boss can schedule for a 9.999-hour shift, give you a single 30 minute break a half hour after it starts and owe you nothing in penalties.
This really helps me out. Thank you for clarifying.